You can drill right through solid rock or reinforced concrete with the revolutionary "down pressure digger" from Belltec Industries, Belton, Texas.

Designed for 3 pt. mounting on a 30 hp or larger tractor, it's equipped with opposing hydraulic cylinders, located above the gear-box, which use weight of the tractor to apply up to 4,500 lbs. of down pressure for high speed drilling in dirt (only 16.5 seconds to drill a 4 ft. deep hole 10 in. in dia.) and, with special cutting tips attached, right through hard, dry or frozen ground, or even solid rock or concrete.

"It's more than a post hole digger -- it's the only tractor-mounted drilling machine," says Donny Jones, vice president. "You can equip it to drill 9-in. dia. water wells up to 60 ft. or more deep. One owner has used his Belltec digger to drill 2-in. dia. holes in solid granite rock for setting steel T-posts."

Jones notes that the auger is "frame guided" to ensure a straight hole, even on side hills. Instead of shear pins, both the gearbox and driveline are protected by an automatic torque limiter.

The rear frame is enclosed, allowing the Belltec to be backed into an existing fence to drill holes for fence mending.

"We think every farmer or rancher with 50 or more post holes to dig every year in soil other than sand should own one of our machines," says Jones. "It's twice as fast as conventional pendulum-type post hole diggers in normal soil conditions, and really shines in rocky, frozen and other problem soils that conventional diggers can't begin to handle," says Jones.